Download your Easter Bunny picture to start colouring by following the link on the right.

When you are finished, post your entries to (or drop into):

Easter Bunny Competition

Saffron Walden Reporter

54 High St

Saffron Walden

Essex

CB11 1EE

Or, email your entry to: myentry@archant.co.uk

Please include your full name, age, address and phone number with the scan of you image on all email entries.

Competition Details:

Entries close Thursday 21st April 2011.

Competition open to all children under the age of 16 years old.

Valid entries to include you the coloured-in image, with you full name, age, address and phone number.

Judges decision is final.

Vouchers can be used on most products or services at Mercer & Hughes Veterinary Surgerys in Saffron Walden, Stansted or Dunmow.

Rescue the Easter Bunny!

Around Easter its impossible to open a magazine or turn on the TV without seeing a cute rabbit. Theyre everywhere - on billboards, in magazines, and on packaging up and down the aisles of supermarkets. Its no wonder that sales of pet rabbits explode at Easter. Its at this time of year that pester power comes into its own, with children begging their parents for a lovely fluffy bunny.

The sad fact is that in the weeks and months following Easter, already overcrowded rescue shelters are inundated with calls from owners wishing to offload their rabbit because the child or owner has tired of it, and the reality of cleaning out, feeding and the expense of vet trips has set in.

Make Mine Chocolate (www.makeminechocolate.org.uk) is a campaign to stop the impulse purchase of rabbits, which is particularly important around Easter time when the rabbit has so much publicity. It is estimated that 21,000 of the rabbits that pass through rescues each year were given up in their first year of ownership, making up 60% of the rescue total. This would suggest a tendency to acquire rabbits on impulse without proper research. If you are in doubt then make yours chocolate this Easter!

Rabbits may seem an easy pet, however they have very specific dietary and medical needs, including annual vaccination. For more information on whats involved in looking after a rabbit visit the Make Mine Chocolate website or telephone us at Mercer and Hughes - we are also able to offer free rabbit check-ups!